My first Senate session in Albany will be ending on June 20 and looking back on it, I believe our state has made significant progress toward fiscal health. The most visible highlight of the past six months has been our passage of an on-time state budget that cut spending by $10 billion. Our goal was simple: to get spending in line with revenue. In years past, the state would routinely spend more than it brought in and then turn to taxpayers to make up the difference. This practice has proved disastrous for our economy and worse for our citizens. But I am proud to say that we have put an end to it.

During my conversations with the people of Central and Northern New York,they have made it very clear that they wanted real change in Albany. They wanted to clean up the dysfunction and corruption that has made New York State a poster child for what was wrong with government in America.

Long Island’s two freshman Senators – Senator Jack M. Martins and Senator Lee M. Zeldin – have introduced legislation to eliminate the MTA Payroll Tax, which has been burden to Long Island businesses, school districts, local governments, hospitals and even not-for-profits ever since it was enacted in 2009.

The Martins-Zeldin plan calls for the MTA Payroll Tax to be phased out each year until 2014, when it will be completely eliminated.

Senator Gianaris will give remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new direct free-transfer connection between the 7 and G subway lines at the new Court Square Station Complex.

On the Tuesday after Memorial Day, Senator Jack M. Martins was back in Mineola as he stopped by the Mineola Village Hall Community Center to spend some time with the Mineola Leisure Club, which was meeting at the time.

Senator Martins was asked to say a few words about his time in Albany. Remarked active senior and Golden Age Club President Lillian Barnola, "Now, we have to share him!"

Lillian was referring to the last eight years during which Senator Martins served as Mayor of the Village of Mineola. Now, serving his first term in the State Senate, he is the chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Local Governments.

Senator Jack M. Martins and the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament committee announced that the 7th Annual 3-on-3 Tournament will be played on Saturday, July 16 at Dutch Broadway School in Elmont at the Assemblyman Tom Alfano Basketball Courts, located in the rear of the school. A raindate has been scheduled for July 17. The tournament is free and there is no cost to participate.

State Senator Patty Ritchie asked Watertown firefighters on Thursday to sign her on-line petition in support of "Mark's Law," (S4717) a measure that would impose the state's maximum criminal penalty for anyone who kills firefighters or emergency workers.

The bill was named for the late Mark Davis who was shot to death while responding to an emergency in Cape Vincent.

Senator Ritchie asked the firefighters sign her on-line petition on her Senate website at www.ritchie.nysenate.gov and to ask their families and friends to support the measure.

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria) visited Sunnyside Yards last Thursday to tout not only a federal grant to fix the bottlenecking of trains at the yards and prepare the yards for high-speed rail, but also the jobs and economic boost expected to come from the construction work.

“The first high-speed rail project in America is going to be this one,” Maloney said.

Queens Times Ledger asked Senator Gianaris to comment on the closure of Ladder 128 in Long Island City.

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State Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) said that given the population boom and the increased number of high-rise condominiums being built in Long Island City, closing the firehouse would be “a horrible mistake.” He said when Long Island City previously lost Engine 261 in Long Island City, which closed in 2003, response times lengthened.

“The last thing we need is to lose a ladder company,” Gianaris said.

The senator also said he would work to make sure the city reverses its decision, and if anything the area needs more fire services.

For years, some of the residents on the east end of the Village of Mineola as well Carle Place have had to deal with flooding on their streets during rain storms. When he served as Mayor of Mineola, Jack M. Martins set out to solve the problem, which had been plaguing those streets for years.

Martins called together a meeting with Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman and County Executive Ed Mangano. In order to solve the problem, the Village of Mineola agreed to reconfigure a catch basin to handle more storm water flow. The county agreed to build a bypass for water going south on Sheridan Boulevard toward the catch basin to reduce the amount of storm water that goes to Bruce Terrace, one of the streets suffering from the flooding, and the surrounding areas.

MAHOPAC (4/27/2011) – Senator Greg Ball (R, C – Patterson) was a keynote speaker at the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation’s “Shop Putnam Business and Home Expo,” held at Villa Barone Hilltop Manor on Wednesday.

During his address, Senator Ball announced an initiative in his office, headed by his Chief of Staff Jim Coleman, to identify and support economic development projects in each of his district’s 22 towns.

YORKTOWN NY (April 27th 2011) Senator Greg Ball (R, C-Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess) was joined by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, Westchester County Legislator John Testa and Yorktown Town Councilman Councilman Dr. Terrence Murphy (R, I – Jefferson Valley) at a press conference today to support Senator Ball’s legislation fully repealing the MTA payroll tax, and providing for an immediate full forensic accounting of the MTA.

Senator Ball’s legislation S4716, exempts self-employed persons, localities, school districts and not for profit corporations from the MTA mobility tax. The Senator is also proposing legislation which will repeal the MTA taxes on school districts by the end of 2016. As well as a measure that will require the MTA to attend the majority of public hearings on fare hikes in order to cast a vote.

ALBANY, 05/24/11 – State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I – Oneonta) today announced he is co-sponsoring legislation that would give local governments veto power over natural gas drilling through zoning authority.

“The topic of drilling in the Marcellus Shale has elicited an overwhelming response with varied opinions on all sides of the issue. One thing that cannot be discounted moving forward is the desire of local residents,” said Senator Seward. “That is why I am co-sponsoring legislation (S.3472) that would empower local governments and allow them to regulate natural gas drilling through local planning and zoning.”

"Western New York’s property tax burden is among the highest in the nation; forcing families to leave their homes, business to relocate, and our children to seek futures elsewhere. Passing legislation to cap property taxes at two-percent was one of the first actions my Senate colleagues and I took this year.

Now, nearly four months later, the Assembly has joined the discussion by agreeing to a property tax cap framework largely mirroring legislation passed earlier this year in the Senate. This is a very encouraging development.